A Top UK Doctor Calls For Decriminalizing Drugs
Joe | Aug 20, 2010 | Comments 0
A former President of England’s Royal College of Physicians says he thinks his country should look into decriminalizing drugs. Sir Ian Gilmore says that the drug laws should be “reconsidered with a view to decriminalising illicit drugs use.”
He told Sky News: “The problem is that this policy we have had for 40 years of saying that we do not want drugs in society just isn’t working.
“We cannot stop production from overseas and we cannot stop importation, but we can start treating heroin addiction as a medical condition.”
In other words, stop treating drug addiction as a criminal issue, and start treating it as a public health issue. The War on Drugs is an absolute failure. End the war and start treating the people it effects. Stop wasting money on drug law enforcement and instead use it for rehab centers and drug education.
Sir Ian conceded decriminalisation was a “difficult word” but added he was in favour of looking at a regulatory framework for illicit drugs rather than blanket prohibition.
Under prohibition a government has no control over the product they have prohibited. They forfeit all regulation to the black market. Doesn’t it make more sense to bring these dangerous substances under tighter control? That is impossible with prohibition.
People all over the world are seeing the global War on Drugs for what it really is; a massively wasteful failure.
Filed Under: Activism • Exclusive Web Content • The War On Drugs
